Grayson Rigdon, small-school Texas high school football phenom, shines in 11-man debut

Air Force commit rushes for 255 yards, 3 TDs in dazzling UIL Week 1; Columbus blows out Cuero

Benjamin's Grayson Rigdon wins Offensive MVP during the UIL Texas state title championship game on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023 at AT&T Stadium. / Naomi Skinner/Times Record News / USA TODAY NETWORK

When news broke that Grayson Rigdon, regarded as maybe the best 6-man player in Texas high school football history, was transferring to the 11-man ranks, he leaned into the noise.

"Expect a lot of exciting plays," Rigdon, who has never lost a high school football game, told SBLive in July.

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The first glimpse didn't disappoint.

As Columbus thrashed Cuero to the tune of 65-24 to open the season on Friday, Rigdon had no trouble standing out in his first 11-man action, rushing for 255 yards on 14 carries (that's 18 yards per carry for those without an abacus) and scored three touchdowns. Rigdon is 46-0 as a high schooler.

His longest touchdown — a 71-yard run — came in the first quarter when he took a hand-off up the middle, cut past two idle linebackers, juked a defensive back and hustled past four Cuero defenders untouched.

He went untouched on his final touchdown as well, a 10-yard screen pass from Schobel to put Columbus up 50-17 in the third quarter.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Air Force commit featured at quarterback, running back, receiver and everything in between in the 6-man ranks, begging the question: How would he factor in at Columbus?

With TCU-committed quarterback Adam Schobel (2,405 pass yards, 30 TDs as a junior) under center for the Cardinals, wide receiver or slot penciled out. Or some sort of backfield/wideout hybrid role.

It was from the backfield where he made the biggest difference.

Rigdon has won three straight 6-man state titles, first at Strawn then two at Benjamin. Columbus reached the third round of the 3A UIL 3A Division I playoffs.

Columbus hosts La Grange (1-0) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. (Central time) in Week 2, the same time Cuero plays at La Vernia.

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More Week 1 Texas high school football

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• Kaliq Lockett, 5-star Texas Longhorns commit, makes 2 defenders miss in Sachse's opener

• Frisco Emerson's defense stands tall in Week 1 win: ‘Odds were stacked against us'

• Tory Blaylock, 4-star Oklahoma commit, shines as Atascocita rolls Lamar

• Pieper edges out Boerne in Central Texas high school football thriller

• Jax Brown, star Weiss QB, 'heartbroken' after season-ending injury

• Shooting threat increases police presence at Summer Creek-Shadow Creek game

• Austin Westlake defeats Prosper in back-and-forth opener

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-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx